Breakthrough in July 7 police probe

There has been a massive breakthrough in the investigation into the July 7 London bombings as police made their first significant arrests in connection with the suicide attacks.

In a dramatic development, three men were arrested by Scotland Yard's counter terror detectives in the north of England - two of them as they were about to leave the country.

The two - aged 23 and 30 - were arrested shortly before 1pm at Manchester airport as they prepared to board a flight to Pakistan. They had gone through passport control and were airside in the terminal building at the time of the arrests.

The third man, aged 26, was held at his home in Leeds just after 4pm.

Officers also carried out a series of raids on houses in the Beeston area of Leeds, where three of the July 7 bombers had strong connections.

Beeston once again appeared to be the focus of the police investigation into the July 7 attacks, in which 52 people were killed.

Police have been investigating how the four suicide bombers, who exploded rucksack devices on three Tube trains and a bus, were supported and financed. Senior officers have always said that their support network was still at large.

One of the houses raided on Thursday was in Colwyn Road, the same road where the Aldgate bomber, Shehzad Tanweer, lived. The other four were in Cardinal Road, Firth Mount, Tempest Road, and Rowland Place, West Yorkshire Police confirmed.

Searches were continuing, but police sources insisted that they were not expecting to find bombs or bomb making equipment there.

All three arrested men are understood to be from Leeds. By 7pm two had arrived at London's high security Paddington Green police station. The third was en route and expected to arrive later this evening.